Written Answers

Friday 31 March 2000

Scottish Executive

Birds

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria were used in determining the allocation of (a) public funds, whether from Scottish Natural Heritage or other sources and (b) funding from the National Heritage Lottery Fund to the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.

Sarah Boyack: The allocation of public funds to RSPB by Scottish Natural Heritage is made on exactly the same criteria as for any other applicant. Applications for funding are subject to a detailed assessment process, the key criterion of which is that the project for which funds are being sought should contribute to SNH’s policy objectives and priorities.

  The Scottish Executive gives a grant to RSPB for work connected with the prevention and detection of wildlife crime in addition to several small payments amounting to some £2,620. These small payments are contributions towards work undertaken by the RSPB at the behest of the Executive or one of its working groups established to consider specific policy issues such as the Scottish Biodiversity Group. The main criterion used for any payments made to the RSPB is if the work undertaken is consistent with the policies of the Executive or the relevant working group.

  With regard to the allocation of funds from the National Heritage Lottery Fund, this is a matter for them.

Birds

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many police raids have taken place, in each of the past three years, in respect of offences against protected species of birds; in how many of these cases a criminal prosecution was brought; how many convictions there were and on how many occasions a member of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds was present during the raid.

Sarah Boyack: Figures for police raids are not collected centrally. Neither is it possible to determine the number of occasions on which a member of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds may have been present during a raid.

  Figures for the number of prosecutions and convictions for offences against birds under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 are given below. All wild birds enjoy protection under the Act, although there are special penalties for certain types of offence and for offences against certain species.

  Persons proceeded against under Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981

  



1996

  

1997

  

1998

  



Sections 

  specific to birds

  

10

  

14

  

5

  



  Persons convicted under Wildlife & Countryside Act 1981

  

 

1996

  

1997

  

1998

  



Sections specific to birds

  

6

  

12

  

5

  



  Note: These figures refer to proceedings where the offence committed under this Act was the main offence; that is, the one receiving the severest penalty. 1998 is the latest year for which figures are currently available.

Casino Opening Hours

Gordon Jackson (Glasgow Govan) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what responses it has received to the consultation paper regarding proposals to extend the opening hours of casinos in Scotland.

Mr Jim Wallace: We published this consultation paper on 10 November 1999 and the consultation period ended on 31 January 2000. The Executive received 15 responses.

  Of the responses three were against the proposal, three were in favour and the remainder were neutral. Objections to the proposal centred around concerns about public order, the adverse affect on those with gambling problems and the impact of longer hours on casino staff within the casino industry. There were also concerns that there is little demand for increasing opening hours.

  In opposing the change, the General Municipal and Boilermakers Trades Union (GMB) Scotland drew attention to the lack of consultation with casino staff about the proposed changes and to the lack of recognition of trades unions for collective bargaining over such issues as staff terms and conditions of service in the casino industry. GamCare (the National Association for Gambling Care) believe that the change is unlikely to increase the incidence of problem gambling nor significantly exacerbate the problems of those already affected by a gambling dependency. The Association of Chief Police Officers in Scotland sees no reason to object to the change in hours.

  Having considered these responses, the Executive has decided that the relatively modest changes to casino opening hours proposed should be made so that casinos have more flexibility to meet consumer demand.

  We do not think that an extension from 4am to 6am is likely to have an impact on public order. Under the current legislation licensing authorities can impose restrictions on the hours casinos open if they think it is necessary to prevent disturbance to the residents of premises in the vicinity. That will remain the case.

  The Executive has taken account of concerns about the impact of additional operating hours on casino staff. However, the legislation on casino opening hours provides a public interest framework for gambling. It is not designed to regulate normal employer/employee relations. That is the role of the Employment Relations Act.

  While we originally proposed to implement the change by spring 2000, we have now decided in the light of the representations made to us by GMB Scotland that the longer hours should not be available until the end of July. That should enable the concerns of casino staff and the Unions representing them to be pursued through the provisions of the new Employment Relations Act.

Countryside Premium Scheme

Mr Alex Salmond (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive to provide a breakdown of the distribution of applications received under the Countryside Premium Scheme or equivalent, by Rural Affairs Department region, in each of the last three years.

Ross Finnie: The numbers of Countryside Premium Scheme applications received by the Rural Affairs Department’s Area Offices in each of the last three years is as follows:

  


Area Office

  

Applications 

  Received

  




1997

  

1998

  

1999

  



Argyll & 

  Western Isles

  

60

  

81

  

74

  



Grampian

  

153

  

205

  

167

  



Highland

  

41

  

54

  

70

  



Northern 

  & Northern Isles

  

101

  

124

  

74

  



Perth & 

  Kinross/Angus

  

168

  

116

  

84

  



South Eastern

  

188

  

177

  

121

  



South Western

  

125

  

148

  

105

  



Southern

  

85

  

50

  

34

Domestic Abuse

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to issue statutory guidelines for housing associations dealing with women who suffer from domestic violence.

Ms Wendy Alexander: The Scottish Executive has no such plans. However, the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations published Guidance Booklet 10 Good Practice in dealing with Domestic Abuse on 10 March 1999 and this Guidance Booklet was drawn up with the assistance of Scottish Women's Aid. While not statutory, it is part of the compliance test applied to all housing associations registered with or wishing to become registered with Scottish Homes. Additionally, the Scottish Partnership on Domestic Abuse will issue Good Practice Guidelines and Service Standards for all Agencies concerned with domestic abuse.

Economics

Nick Johnston (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the functions of the Secretary of State’s Advisory Panel of Economic Consultants have been taken over by another body and, if so, what is that body, what is its remit, who sits on it, when did it last meet and when will its report, if any, be published.

Henry McLeish: The Panel, which last met in March 1998, has been wound up with effect from 8 March 2000. The Executive continues to value independent economic advice and the Chief Economic Adviser will be convening regular meetings of selected experts to address specific economic issues of interest to the Executive.

Education

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what was the total expenditure, in real terms, in each financial year since 1989-90 broken down by local authority on the specialist training for teachers/auxiliary staff working with autistic children.

Mr Sam Galbraith: This information is not held centrally.

Enterprise

Nick Johnston (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any changes are being made to the Investors in People standard to address the needs of small businesses.

Nicol Stephen: The Scottish Executive has recently endorsed the revised UK-wide Investors in People standard, which will be launched nationally on 13 April.

  The new standard has been developed following extensive consultation throughout the UK. The changes will, amongst other improvements, make the process more accessible to small businesses.

Environment

Dr Winnie Ewing (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has any plans to increase the number of tugs available to assist in the event of a tanker accident and, if necessary, whether it will make any representations to Her Majesty’s Government to ensure the protection of Scotland’s marine and coastal environment.

Sarah Boyack: The provision of Emergency Towing Vessel tugs around the UK coast is a reserved matter. The Scottish Executive maintains regular contact with Her Majesty’s Government on a wide range of issues including matters relating to maritime safety and the protection of the marine environment. The Executive welcomes the MCA announcement on 9 March to continue to deploy a tug in the Northern Isles for the 2000-01 winter.

Environment

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will announce when the EC Directive 96/59/EC on the disposal of polychlorinated biphenyls and polychlorinated terphenyls will be transposed into Scots law.

Sarah Boyack: The Regulations which transpose EC Directive 96/59/EC on the disposal of polychlorinated biphenyls and polychlorinated terphenyls into Scots law have been laid before Parliament and will come into force on 8 May 2000.

  Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are stable organic chemicals, used widely as fluids in electrical equipment such as transformers and capacitors, which pose a threat to the environment through their toxicity, persistence and their tendency to bioaccumulate. The Regulations will have the effect of curtailing discharges of PCBs, and so lowering their concentration in the environment, including in relation to sea mammals in which PCBs have been found in significant quantities.

  PCB contaminated equipment of more than five litres capacity must be registered with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) by 31 July 2000 so that an inventory of this information may be produced. SEPA also have powers connected with charging, monitoring and enforcement.

  A person who does not register contaminated equipment with SEPA by 31 July 2000 or who does not safely dispose of contaminated equipment by 31 December 2000, is guilty of an offence and liable to a fine and/or imprisonment.

  Certain exceptions exist within the Regulations. For example, decontaminated transformers (which may be used to the end of their useful lives), businesses concerned with safe disposal/decontamination of PCBs, and research into PCBs.

Equal Opportunities

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many women it employs at a senior level, what proportion of senior posts are held by women and what plans it has to ensure a fair distribution of senior positions to women who possess the requisite qualifications and work experience.

Mr Jack McConnell: In the Senior Civil Service (SCS) there are 40 women, which represents 19.3% of the total SCS group. Our aim is to increase that percentage where opportunities, qualifications and work experience allow, while at the same time ensuring that our equal opportunities policies are adhered to. This is in line with the UK’s Government’s commitment (as detailed in the Modernising Government White Paper published in March 1999 and in the Cabinet Office publication Diverse Civil Service published in February 2000) to increasing diversity across the Civil Service as a whole and of bringing on and bringing in under-represented talent, particularly at a senior level.

Ferry Operations

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what recent representations it has received concerning new passenger ferry services and "ro-ro" freight services between ports in Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic and the lower and upper Clyde.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive has received a number of recent representations concerning new passenger ferry services and "ro-ro" freight services. These have covered various aspects of running commercially-based operations from the lower and upper Clyde to Ireland.

  The operation of ferry services between Scotland and Northern Ireland is a commercial matter for ferry operators.

Health

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-3392 on 2 February 2000 by Susan Deacon, when the Special Needs Assessment Programme working group will conclude its report assessing the total health needs of people suffering from multiple sclerosis and when it will be made available to the Parliament.

Susan Deacon: The Scottish Needs Assessment Programme (SNAP) working group have prepared a draft report on the health needs of people suffering from multiple sclerosis, with input from the Multiple Sclerosis Society. The report is being checked prior to further editing and peer review. The final report is expected to be published in May.

  The report will be distributed by SNAP to the NHS in Scotland. Additional copies will be available from the SNAP administrative office in the Office for Public Health in Scotland.

Health

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-1852 on 11 February 2000 by Susan Deacon, to provide a list of the local drugs and therapeutic committees who are informing and advising clinicians as to whether patients with multiple sclerosis would benefit from beta interferon treatment.

Susan Deacon: Clinicians in each health board area have access to advice from drug and therapeutic committees. Information about the drug treatments considered by the individual committees is not made available centrally.

Health

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-3393 by Susan Deacon on 16 February 2000, what plans it has to ensure that individual health boards are following the Scottish Medical Advisory Committee’s guidance about new drugs for multiple sclerosis and clinical advice, issued to all health boards in 1995.

Susan Deacon: The Scottish Medical Advisory Committee's guidance about new drugs for the treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis continues to apply. The implementation of that guidance is a matter for each health board.

Health

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-2386 by Susan Deacon on 30 November 1999, whether it will specify the number of people who suffer from multiple sclerosis and have received beta interferon treatment in each of the past four years.

Susan Deacon: I refer Ms Elder to my answer to her question S1W-2734.

Health

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-4248 by Susan Deacon on 22 February 2000, what issues other than nursing staffing will be investigated in the Chief Medical Officer’s study, when the study will be completed, and when the results will be made available to the Parliament.

Susan Deacon: The group will look at various aspects of the administration and professional management of ITUs and HDUs throughout Scotland and will pay particular attention to:

  the appropriate use of ITU and HDU;

  an ability to increase ITU capacity at times of increased demand;

  the development of a pool of trained staff who can work flexibly at varying levels of dependency care and expand at times of need;

  the feasibility of developing a mobile ITU equipment resource;

  developing of a series of guidelines on best ITU/HDU practice; and

  the appraisal of patient transportation services and the use of an electronic bed bureau

Health

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-4251 by Susan Deacon on 22 February 2000, when the group announced in Learning Together will convene, what matters other than support for the newly qualified nurses this group will consider, and how the group’s findings, conclusions and recommendations will be made available to the Parliament.

Susan Deacon: The working group on nurses’ careers is scheduled to be convened this year and will consider all aspects of the nursing career structure including:

  the implementation of nurse consultant posts across the NHS in Scotland, taking account of experience of piloting the initial posts funded centrally in 2000-01;

  a development scheme for nurse leaders of the future;

  how to build on the impetus provided by the new Nursing and Midwifery Practice Development Unit;

  how best to provide structured support for newly qualified nurses during their initial period of NHS employment.

Health

Kay Ullrich (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why there are proportionately fewer genito-urinary medicine specialists in Scotland compared to England and Wales.

Susan Deacon: The numbers of consultants employed in any specialty is a matter for the health boards. Health boards have a knowledge of the health needs of their local populations and are expected to develop their services accordingly.

  However, the Scottish Executive are planning to review sexual health services and genito-urinary medicine services will form part of that work.

Local Government Finance

Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to give local authorities three-year figures for grant-aided expenditure and aggregate external finance within the context of the next stage of the Comprehensive Spending Review.

Mr Jack McConnell: My ministerial colleagues and I will be considering a wide range of policy options during the course of the current spending review and we are currently discussing with CoSLA the possibility of three-year planning for local government finance.

Medical Staff

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-4246 by Susan Deacon on 22 February 2000, what measures are being taken to encourage trained nurses and midwives who have left the NHS to return to their jobs and to specify how many nurses have (a) left the NHS and (b) returned to work in the NHS, in each of the last two years.

Susan Deacon: Recruitment of staff in the NHS in Scotland is essentially a matter for local health board and NHS Trust managers. Initiatives at local level such as return to practice courses and flexible salary arrangements have been successful in encouraging trained nurses and midwifes back to nursing.

  Nationally, through the Human Resource Strategy Towards a New Way of Working, we are developing a range of policies covering flexible working, parental and carer issues and implementation of an Education, Training and Lifelong Learning Strategy, as part of our agenda for improving access and opportunity for all. We believe the introduction of these new and modern practices will encourage nurses and midwives back into NHS employment.

  The number of nurses who have (a) left NHS in Scotland and (b) returned to work in the NHS in Scotland in each of the last two years, are shown in the table for the latest two years available.

Ministers

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to create a Minister for External Affairs post.

Donald Dewar: No.

Modernising Government

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will announce details of the funding available under the "Modernising Government" initiative and whether this funding will be available to (a) small businesses, (b) the voluntary sector, (c) The Family Association for Children with Extra-Special Needs, (d) other voluntary bodies and (e) national park areas.

Mr Jack McConnell: I announced the establishment of the £25 million Modernising Government Fund during the parliamentary debate on modernising government on 23 February. Applications for funds will be invited from a wide range of public sector bodies, including Scottish Executive departments and agencies, health authorities, non-departmental public bodies and local government authorities. Bids will be accepted from bodies which include a partnership with others whether they are in the public, private or voluntary sectors, where the public sector body is the lead partner.

  Full details of the bidding criteria will be issued in the next few weeks.

Motorway Services

Mrs Lyndsay McIntosh (Central Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to Her Majesty's Government to clarify the criteria considered by the Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions when siting motorway services in Scotland.

Sarah Boyack: Service area provision in Scotland is a matter for Scottish ministers. The guidelines which apply in Scotland are contained in the National Planning Policy Guideline NPPG 9 entitled The Provision of Roadside Facilities on Motorways and Other Trunk Roads in Scotland .

NHS Funding

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive (a) why capital expenditure on the NHS declined from £151,778,000 in 1997 to £94,639,000 in 1998 and to £78,113,000 in 1999, (b) what the capital expenditure on the NHS will be in 2000, (c) what are the implications for the replacement of older hospital facilities of declining capital expenditure and (d) what steps it will take to reverse the decline in capital expenditure in the NHS.

Susan Deacon: The capital resources available for investment in the NHS in Scotland, against actual capital expenditure, during the period 1997-98, 1998-99 and 1999-2000 totalled £136 million, £136 million and £156 million respectively.

  The level of resources available for capital investment in the NHS in Scotland during 2000-01 totals £179 million and will increase to £194 million in 2001-02.

  This increasing trend clearly shows a commitment to capital investment in the NHS in Scotland.

  In addition, a total of £41.5 million will be spent over the next three years on Health Service modernisation initiatives.

  The variance between the capital provision and actual expenditure in any one year can be attributed to either the slippage of capital shemes where the planned expenditure in one year falls to be met in the following year or the transfer of capital resources to NHS Trusts revenue allocations to enable minor works to be carried out that do not add capital value to the NHS estate.

NHS Waiting Lists

NHS Waiting Times

Mr Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail the average waiting times for triple by-pass operations broken down by health board.

Susan Deacon: The information requested is set out in the table.

  We are currently working with the NHS in Scotland to establish national maximum waiting times, to be delivered from March 2001, in the clinical priorities of heart disease, cancer and mental health.

  Median Waiting Times1 for Triple By-Pass2 Surgery for Patients Routinely Admitted from the Waiting List3 during the Year Ending 31 December 1999p

  


Health Board

  

Median 

  Wait (Days)

  



Argyll and 

  Clyde

  

220

  



Ayrshire 

  and Arran

  

114

  



Borders

  

182

  



Dumfries 

  and Galloway

  

289

  



Fife

  

57

  



Forth Valley

  

106

  



Grampian

  

105

  



Greater 

  Glasgow

  

154

  



Highland

  

132

  



Lanarkshire

  

256

  



Lothian

  

129

  



Tayside

  

157

  



Scotland

  

185

  



  Source: ISD Scotland.

  p Provisional.

  Notes:

  1. The table does not show the median wait where fewer than three patients in a health board area had a triple by-pass operation during 1999. This applies to Orkney (Nil), Shetland (two patients) and Western Isles (one patient).

  2. Triple by-pass operations are defined as OPCS4 K40.3, K41.3, K42.3, K43.3 or K44 as main procedures (K44 will include operations other than triple by-pass operations, but many triple by-pass operations may have been coded thus due to lack of detail in case notes).

  3. Relates only to NHS patients routinely admitted from the waiting list. Admissions via transfer are excluded.

NHS Waiting Times

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why the percentage of patients waiting 18weeks or more for treatment at Glasgow Dental Hospital and School increased by one third between 1998 and 1999 and what steps it will take to remedy this situation.

Susan Deacon: I am advised by North Glasgow University Hospitals NHS Trust that a rise in demand for specific specialist services has resulted in an increase in waiting times.

  To address this, a major strategic review of dental services is currently being undertaken by the Trust to explore a number of related issues including staffing. A report on the review's findings and recommendations will then be considered by the Greater Glasgow Health Board and the Trust.

NHS Waiting Times

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why the percentage of outpatients waiting more than 18 weeks for their first appointment has increased in 12 of the 15 health boards between 1998 and 1999 and what steps it will take to remedy this situation.

Susan Deacon: In the year ending 31 March 1999, the percentage of patients waiting more than 18 weeks for a first outpatient appointment increased in Scotland in 11 of the 15 health boards. This performance has to be set against an increase in the total number of outpatient appointments of over 32,000 (2.4%) in that year.

  It is the total waiting time which is of most importance to patients, and that is why we are working with the NHS in Scotland to establish national maximum waiting times, to be delivered from 31 March 2001, in the clinical priorities of heart disease, cancer and mental health. In addition, the establishment of additional one-stop clinics, the introduction of walk-in/walk-out hospitals and the redesign of services to improve the patient pathway will speed treatment and reduce waiting times.

NHS Waiting Times

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why less than half of the patients waiting for orthopaedic surgery in the last year for which figures are available in Lanarkshire and Highland Health Boards were treated within the guarantee period given under the Patients’ Charter and what steps it proposes to ensure that all patients requiring orthopaedic surgery are treated within the guarantee period.

Susan Deacon: The Scottish Executive has provided £292,000 to Lanarkshire Health Board for orthopaedic services under the waiting lists initiative. This has enabled Lanarkshire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust to appoint an additional consultant and support staff. In the last full year, 64% of orthopaedic outpatients were seen within three months. All patients requiring inpatient or day-case treatment received this within the Charter guarantee throughout 1999.

  We have provided £0.5 million to Highland Health Board for orthopaedic services under the waiting lists initiative. This has enabled Highland Acute Hospitals NHS Trust to increase staffing, including staffing at consultant level, and to reduce significantly a backlog of cases that existed until 1999. 64% of people requiring inpatient and day-case treatment and 68% of outpatients are now seen within three months. The board and the Trust are striving to make further improvements and to bring waiting times to within the Patients’ Charter standards. Initiatives include a closer integration of primary and secondary care services in orthopaedics.

National Parks

Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Ministry of Defence, or any other Government Ministry, agency or other public body, owns land in the areas being considered for inclusion in the Loch Lomond and Trossachs and Cairngorm National Parks, and whether the Concordats between it and Her Majesty’s Government will allow the National Park Authorities the same degree of control of land use and management on all such property as on privately owned land.

Sarah Boyack: Many public bodies, including the Ministry of Defence, own land within the proposed Loch Lomond and the Trossachs and Cairngorms National Park areas.

  The Concordats agreed between the Scottish Executive and UK Government Departments are not intended to be legally binding. However, in response to consultation on National Parks, the Ministry of Defence gives support to the principle of working closely in partnership with the proposed new National Park authorities, as it already does under the terms of its Declaration of Intent with Scottish Natural Heritage and its Declaration of Commitment to National Parks in England and Wales.

Planning

Bill Aitken (Glasgow) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider changes to the existing planning legislation to allow objectors a limited right of appeal.

Sarah Boyack: I refer Mr Aitken to my answer of 12 July 1999 to question S1W-183.

Planning

Trish Godman (West Renfrewshire) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what recent representations it has received concerning the re-development of the waterfront at Port Glasgow and adjacent land.

Sarah Boyack: A development proposal for the waterfront at Port Glasgow for mixed use development including retail, leisure, and residential, was called in at the end of October 1999 by Scottish ministers for their determination. The proposal was called in because of its possible implications for national and local industrial and retail policies. Following the announcement, in the Greenock Telegraph on 18 February 2000, that a Public Local Inquiry into the development proposal would start on Tuesday 4 April 2000, two representations have been received. This brings the total number of representations received to 51, most of which have come from local individuals, businesses and organisations. Particular concern has been expressed about the relocation of the parking areas, the loss of trade to the town centre and detriment to residential amenity.

Police

Nick Johnston (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how the Scottish Police College at Tulliallan is funded.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Scottish Police College is a common police service. It is funded jointly by the Scottish Executive and police authorities.

Police

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why police forces will have to pay non-domestic rates from 1 April 2000; how much it anticipates each force will have to pay and what proportion this will be of each force’s budget.

Mr Jim Wallace: Police forces will pay non-domestic rates from 1 April 2000 following the abolition of Crown Exemption from non-domestic rates for all properties. Sufficient additional provision was included in the police Grant Aided Expenditure (GAE) settlement for 2000-01 to cover in full the estimated extra cost to each force. The amount that police authorities estimate they will spend in cash terms, as a result of this change and as a proportion of their budget, is shown in the table below.

  


Force

  

2000-01 

  Budget

  

Estimate 

  for Non-Domestic Rates (NDR)

  

NDR 

  as % of 2000-01 Budget

  




£000

  

£000

  

%

  



Central 

  Scotland Police

  

33,132

  

388

  

1.2

  



Dumfries 

  and Galloway Constabulary

  

21,318

  

247

  

1.1

  



Fife Constabulary

  

41,036

  

676

  

1.6

  



Grampian 

  Police

  

62,935

  

1,073

  

1.7

  



Lothian 

  and Borders Police

  

133,752

  

1,580

  

1.2

  



Northern 

  Constabulary

  

38,214

  

574

  

1.5

  



Strathclyde 

  Police

  

352,183

  

3,940

  

1.1

  



Tayside 

  Police

  

57,598

  

854

  

1.5

  



TOTAL FUNDING

  

740,168

  

9,332

  

1.3

Postgraduate Courses

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what changes have recently been made to the qualifications required for entry to postgraduate courses in teaching at secondary school level and why any such changes have been introduced.

Peter Peacock: From the academic year 2000-01 the minimum entry requirements to Postgraduate Certificate in Education (Secondary) courses will be increased. Applicants will require within their degrees three teaching subject qualifying courses (TSQCs), with one TSQC at Scottish degree level two or above and one at level three or above. Previously only two TSQCs were necessary and one had to be at Scottish degree level two or above. These requirements are set out in the Memorandum on Entry Requirements to Courses of Teacher Education in Scotland .

  The increase in the minimum entry requirements is designed as a contribution to raising standards in the teaching workforce and was the outcome of a working group and a comprehensive consultation with all interested parties including further and higher education institutions, the teacher education institutions and the General Teaching Council for Scotland.

Rail Network

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to promote double track lines and an upgrade on the rail network between Barrhead and Kilmarnock, whether it will provide details of the funding it intends to make available for this and what representations, if any, it has made to other authorities on this matter.

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide an update on the proposed upgrade of the Barrhead to Kilmarnock rail route, including details of the planned financial investment and the estimated number of people who will work on the project.

Sarah Boyack: I understand that Railtrack have concluded a feasibility study on behalf of Strathclyde Passenger Transport Authority to identify options for infrastructure improvements to increase the capacity of the line from Barrhead to Kilmarnock. The study is currently being considered by SPTA. No application has been received by either the Scottish Executive or the Shadow Strategic Rail Authority for public funding to assist with infrastructure costs.

Rape

Mr Gil Paterson (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will consider making the funding of rape crisis and victim support services a statutory provision, and, if so, whether it will give a timescale for any such development.

Mr Jim Wallace: There is already statutory basis for funding voluntary organisations such as Rape Crisis or Victim Support services. Section 10 of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968, makes provision for financial assistance by way of grant or loan to be provided to voluntary organisations whose sole or primary objective is to promote social welfare.

Renewable Energy

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many turbines at wind farms in Scotland were manufactured in this country.

Sarah Boyack: The origin of equipment installed on wind farms is entirely a matter for the developers. The Scottish Executive is, however, keen to see an indigenous industry being developed to benefit from any opportunities which could emerge from renewable sources of energy being developed. Where appropriate, Locate in Scotland and the Enterprise network are assisting with this.

Rural Affairs

Alex Johnstone (North-East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what alternatives to the complete removal of ring-fenced quota areas were considered during the current consultation exercise on amendments to the Dairy Produce Quota Regulations 1997 (1997 No.733).

Ross Finnie: Consideration was given to removing the prohibition on leasing milk quota whilst still maintaining the ring fence for permanent quota transfers. This would have allowed milk producers on Shetland to lease out quota on a year-by-year basis to the mainland. It was decided not to pursue this option as quota, and milk production, would still have been able to leave the Islands and the milk producers would have been denied the opportunity to sell their quota and then use the cash realised to assist in business restructuring.

Transport

Bill Aitken (Glasgow) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what recent discussions it has had with Glasgow City Council regarding the M74 extension.

Sarah Boyack: I met representatives of Glasgow City, South Lanarkshire and Renfrewshire Councils on 21 December 1999 to discuss the Strategic Roads Review decision on the M74 Northern Extension. I indicated then that I wished my officials to offer advice and assistance to the councils as they developed their thinking on the M74 proposals. As a result, Scottish Executive officials have since met the councils on a number of occasions and are keeping closely in touch with progress.

Transport

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will specify (a) the number and extent of trunk roads in terms of distance and as a percentage of the road network, (b) the number of trunk roads built or roads reclassified as trunk roads over the last 10 years, (c) the roads and the mileage of those roads that have been reclassified as trunk roads over the last five years and the reason for the reclassification and (d) the criteria used for the classification of a highway as a trunk road both in the past and currently.

Sarah Boyack: There are 41 routes in the statutory list of trunk roads. The length of trunk roads, including motorway slip roads, is 3,439km (2,137 miles) which represents approximately 6.5% of the public road network. The number of trunk roads built or roads reclassified as trunk roads over the last 10 years would only be available at disproportionate cost. A number of roads were reclassified in 1996 under the "Shaping the Trunk Roads Network" initiative. This exercise involved both trunking and detrunking of existing trunk roads to create a network which would:

  provide the road user with a coherent and continuous system of routes which serve destinations of importance to industry, commerce, agriculture and tourism;

  define nationally important routes which will be developed in line with strategic national transport demands; and

  ensure that those roads which are of a predominantly local importance are managed locally.

  A list of roads which were trunked and their length in miles is given in the table below.

  


New 

  Route Number

  

Former 

  Route Number

  

Sections 

  of Road

  

Length 

  in Miles

  



A9

  

A895

  

Latheron 

  to Roadside

  

19

  



A82

  

A82

  

A82 to A9 

  (Kenneth St/Friars Bridge/ Longman Road

  

2

  



A95

  

A95

  

Keith to 

  the A9, North of Aviemore

  

49

  



A90

  

A952

  

Peterhead 

  Bypass

  

2

  



A87

  

A850

  

Kyleakin 

  to Borve

  

38

  



A87

  

A856

  

Borve to 

  Uig

  

11

  



A887

  

A887

  

A87 to the 

  A82

  

16

  



A86

  

A86

  

A82 to the 

  A9, North of Kingussie

  

40

  



A889

  

A889

  

A86 to A9

  

9

  



A90

  

A92

  

Aberdeen 

  Peripheral Route (Anderson Dr and the Parkway)

  

10

  



A83

  

A83

  

Lochgilphead 

  to Kennacraig

  

22

  



A85

  

A85

  

Perth to 

  Lochearnhead

  

35

  



A92

  

A972

  

A92 to the 

  A90

  

1

  



A92

  

A92/A991

  

Tay Bridge 

  to the A972

  

2

  



A92

  

A92

  

Tay Bridge 

  to the Forgan Roundabout

  

1

  



A92

  

A914

  

A91 to Forgan 

  Roundabout

  

13

  



A8/A78

  

A8/A78

  

Port Glasgow 

  to Greenock

  

5

  



M8

  

M8

  

Glasgow 

  Urban Motorway

  

15

  



M80

  

M80

  

M8 to Glasgow 

  City Boundary

  

3

  



M77

  

M77

  

Ayr Road 

  Route

  

8

  



A720

  

A720

  

Edinburgh 

  City Bypass

  

14

  



A702

  

A702

  

Edinburgh 

  City Boundary to Edinburgh City Bypass

  

-

  



A737/738

  

A737/738

  

St James 

  Interchange to Kilwinning

  

21

  



A725

  

A725

  

Coatbridge 

  to East Kilbride

  

11

  



A726

  

A726

  

East Kilbride 

  to B766

  

5

  



A6091

  

A6091

  

A7 to Newton 

  St Boswells

  

6

  



A751

  

A751

  

A77 to the 

  A75, East of Stranraer

  

2

  



Total

  

360

  



  The criteria to be taken into account to decide whether a road should become a trunk road is set out in section 5(2) of the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984. A trunk road is a national road for through traffic and, in determining whether it is expedient for a road to be a trunk road, I require to take into account local and national planning including the requirements of agriculture and industry.

Transport

Mrs Lyndsay McIntosh (Central Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how East Ayrshire residents will be given the maximum opportunity to obtain employment opportunities from the construction of the M77 extension as defined in the Strategic Roads Review proposals of November 1999.

Sarah Boyack: Local economic development opportunities associated with the provision of the M77 were considered in the Strategic Roads Review and reported in the Appraisal Summary Table for the scheme published in Travel Choices for Scotland, Strategic Roads Review . Such opportunities are generally identified in local plans in the area; for example the Kilmarnock Local Plan has identified development opportunities to the north of Kilmarnock that relate to the improved strategic access that the M77 extension will provide.

Transport

Mr Murray Tosh (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail the legal advice, or other advice which led the Minister for Transport and the Environment to instruct a public inquiry in relation to the application by Associated British Ports for the Troon Harbour Revision Order.

Sarah Boyack: The Code of Practice on Access to Scottish Executive Information provides at Part 11, paragraph 4(e) that the legal advice given to inform ministers in their decision making is exempt from the commitment to provide information. A copy of this document is available from SPICe.

Victim Support

Mr Kenneth Gibson (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much financial support was given to Victim Support Scotland in 1997-98, 1998-99 and 1999-2000 and how much will be given in 2000-01, in real terms.

Mr Jim Wallace: Victim Support Scotland has received the following grant aid through section 9 and section 10 of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 from the Scottish Executive:

  



Cash 

  Terms

  

Real 

  Terms (1999-2000 Prices)

  



1997-98

  

£1,431,239

  

£1,511,196

  



1998-99

  

£1,422,610

  

£1,454,619

  



1999-2000

  

£1,534,428

  

£1,534,428

  



  In 2000-01 the Scottish Executive has granted Victim Support Scotland:

  

 

Cash Terms

  

Real Terms (1999-2000 

  Prices)

  



2000-01

  

£1,598,890

  

£1,559,896

  



  In addition, the Scottish Executive has also provided increasing levels of funding to Victim Support to enable them to provide a support service to witnesses in the sheriff courts. Up to £2 million has been set aside for this service to be rolled out in 2000-01 and 2001-02.

  Victim Support Scotland also receives funding (in cash and in kind) from local authorities, the private sector and others.

Warm Deal

Robert Brown (Glasgow) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive,  further to the answer to question S1W-4164 by Mr Frank McAveety on 16 February 2000, whether it will specify the number of Warm Deal grants made, in the most recent period for which figures are available, which included an element of funding for (a) cavity wall installation, (b) loft, cold tank and pipe insulation, (c) hot tank insulation, (d) draughtproofing and (e) energy efficient lightbulbs, or whether such information is not available and, if the information is not available, how it plans to monitor the effectiveness of the Warm Deal programme.

Mr Frank McAveety: Since 1 April 1999 31,000 houses have benefited under the Warm Deal from some or all of the measures described.